Thirteen-Year-Old Jordan Romero on Quest to Summit His Sixth World Peak This Week

Local mountaineer Jordan Romero has taken a study break from eighth grade in order to continue his quest to climb to the top of the world’s seven summits, which will ultimately include Mt. Everest. Thirteen-year-old Romero is in Indonesia this week, along with dad Paul and climbing partner Karen Lundgren, and is hoping that the weather will allow for a third try at summiting Carstensz Pyramid (also known as Puncak Jaya), which is just over 16,000 feet above sea level and would mark Romero’s sixth summit since starting with Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro three years ago at age 10. Romero’s climbs on other continents have included Mt. Aconcagua which he noted, during a Big Bear Discovery Center presentation earlier this year, “I actually set a world record by being the youngest person ever to climb Mt. Aconcagua at 11 years old.” Romero’s trip is being documented on his website and, according to Lundgren, “We’re hoping for good weather, so this plan all comes together. Bad weather can throw a wrench at anything, but we have Plan B, Plan C, Plan D and Plan E ready to go. Jordan is cheering for Plan A because that means he’ll get a day or two at the beach in Bali before we return to the States.” If the latest plan works out, Romero should summit Carstensz Pyramid on September 2–we’ll let you know. (Other stories on Jordan’s climbs are posted in our 2008 Archive.)